September 24, 2006

We have been so supported and blessed by you all in this trial. Thanks to each of you. Your support and prayers are very much appreciated.

In my last update my blood showed no blast (leukemia) cells and I was waiting for another bone marrow biopsy to determine the health of my marrow. On Friday, September 22nd, I received a call from my oncologist about the biopsy. Apparently the study drug has made tremendous reduction in the leukemia. However, the effectiveness of the drug has apparently ended. The marrow was hyper-cellular (packed with an overabundance of cells) for the first few biopsies. The last couple biopsies reveal a hypo-cellular (cleared out and ready to produce normal cells). The concern is that there are still leukemia cells in the marrow. Now that the marrow is cleared, there could easily be an advance of the leukemia again into the open marrow since the study drug has not removed all of the leukemia cells.

If you remember, I was nearly taken off the study drug a couple months ago because its effect on the leukemia was so slow. I was going to be placed on a newly FDA approved, competitive drug, called Dasatinib. Well I was taken off my study drug and took my first dose of that new Dasatinib drug last Friday night. This new drug is very similar to the study drug, but is different enough that there is a good possibility of success in removing the blast cells from my marrow. The doctors are not waiting a long time to see a reversal with this drug. I will be having another biopsy in a couple of weeks to determine my response to the drug.

I’ve taken 4 doses so far of the new drug and I have been experiencing some strong side effects. Normally I should have been taken off the study drug for 1-2 weeks and let it get out of my system before introducing the new drug. However, I don’t have the luxury of that time. Therefore, there is more toxicity when mixing drugs (remember the 60’s). I’m hoping my side effects will reduce as the study drug level goes down in a couple of days. I’m feeling pretty puny, like I did a couple of months ago.

There are two possible paths for my future treatment. If I have a response to the Dasatinib, then I will go directly into a stem cell transplant after waiting to see a sustained remission for a couple of weeks. If there is an insufficient response, then I will have chemotherapy to kill the leukemia and then go into the transplant process. Having chemotherapy and then getting another dose of the transplant chemotherapy has a much lower chance of success because of the added toxicity of two chemo regimes. As you can imagine, we’re praying for a good response to the Dasatinib.

I sure would appreciate your prayers. In my selfishness, I want many more healthy years with Barbara, my boys, my family and my friends. However, I am committed to be content with God’s will. If His will is for my healing, then I am happy for that. If His will is that I will not be healed and I will soon be taken from my life on this earth, then I am committed to that also. May God’s will be done.

I love you all and am so thankful for your support and prayers.